Kenneth W. Rheingans

Kenneth Walter Rheingans passed away peacefully with his family by his side in Appleton on January 5, 2021. He was born on March 6, 1943, to Laura (Bruchert) and Walter Rheingans of Richfield, Wisconsin.

Ken served his community as an on-call West Bend firefighter for 10 years. He was the proud custodian of an antique model A firetruck and participated in many local parades and picnics. Aside from firefighting, Ken worked at the Gehl Company in West Bend for 27 years and retired from Oshkosh Truck Corporation in 2010.  He was also an avid outdoorsman and loved hunting, snowmobiling, and camping. In his spare time, Ken could always be found tinkering in his garage, watching stock car racing (and always rooting for anyone driving a Ford), going to fish fries, and polka dancing at the Moose Lodge.

He married Nancy Stinson in 1964 in Germantown, WI. They raised four children: Mike (Kristin) Rheingans of Appleton, WI; Brenda (Richard) DeVito of Weston, Massachusetts; Julie (Paul) Leverenz of New Holstein, WI; and Deb (Jeff) Schneider of West Bend, WI. He had eight grandchildren: Kaitlin (Mike) Maigatter, Matthew (Erin Kramer) Rheingans, Matthew DeVito, Michael DeVito, Timothy DeVito, Rachel Leverenz, Erin Leverenz, and Brett Liesenfelder. He also had one great-grandchild, Charles Rheingans. He was the brother of Peter Rheingans (Colleen Brushaber) of Richfield, WI, brother-in-law to Scott (Janita) Stinson, and Art Stinson (Catherine), and “Uncle Kenny” to many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his mother and father-in-law, Scott and Molly Stinson, his niece, Lisa Rheingans, his brother-in-law Gary Stinson, and his sister-in-law Joan Stinson.

The family would like to thank their thoughtful neighbors; especially Jeff & Karen Newhouse and Don & Brenda Strobel, and special friend Mary Ann Larsen. Also thank you to Gold Cross Ambulance, Kaukauna Dialysis Clinic, Dr. Chapman and Dr. Taleon, and the staff at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center in Appleton for their care and their compassion. In lieu of flowers, family requests donation of choice in Ken’s name.

Funeral services for Ken are planned for the family only, but will be streamed live at 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 9.  You may view the service by visiting this page at the time of the service.

Please feel free to join the family for a short service at the cemetery located at Christ Evangelical Church, W188 N12808 Fond du Lac Ave, Germantown (Dheinsville) at 2:00 PM followed by fellowship at the Dheinsville Historic Park Outdoor Pavilion.